JPH05170271A - Toner supply container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a toner supply container from which the toner can be fed smoothly into a developing machine even in the case toner is fed with a toner supply opening of the container held in close contact with a toner receiving opening of the developing machine. CONSTITUTION:The container 1 is provided with a supply opening 2 at its closed part 1b. An air pipe 3 is insertable freely slidably into the container through a hole 41 of the closed part 1b. The end of the air pipe 3 is projected from the hole 41 by the resilient force of a coil spring 5. A cap 4 is fitted into a cylindrical part 4b in a manner to permit its free rotation and prevent its easy detachment therefrom. The cap 4 is provided with a semicircular notch 4a formed in its closing plate 4c.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a replenishing toner container for supplying toner to a developing device mounted on a copying machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A replenishment toner container described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-132277 has an air hole at the bottom of the replenishment toner container of a developing device having a mechanism for replenishing powder toner from the outside. Further, a valve that opens an air hole when replenishing toner is provided. Since the toner has fluidity like a liquid when stirred, in order to smoothly supply the toner in the replenishment toner container to the developing device, the amount of air to be replenished as the toner is replenished is developed. It needs to be removed from the vessel.

[0003]

When a replenishment toner container having a smaller replenishment port than the size of the container is used and the replenishment port of the replenishment toner container is brought into close contact with the supply port of the developing device to supply the toner, The toner flowing into the developing device blocks the vicinity of the bottom of the replenishing toner container and the inside of the developing device. Therefore, unlike the replenishment toner container according to the above-mentioned conventional example, even if an air hole is provided at the bottom of the container, an escape passage for the air in the developing device is not secured, and the toner in the replenishment toner container is smoothly supplied into the developing device. There is a problem that cannot be done.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. A replenishment toner container having a smaller replenishment port than the size of the container is used, and the replenishment toner container has a replenishment port of a developing device. An object of the present invention is to provide a replenishment toner container capable of smoothly supplying the toner in the replenishment toner container into the developing device even when the toner is supplied in close contact with the supply port.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replenishment toner container having a container body filled with replenishment toner and a replenishment port formed in the container body.
In a replenishing toner container for connecting the replenishing port to a developing device to supply the toner in the container body to the developing device, when replenishing the developing device with toner from the replenishing port, the vicinity of the bottom of the container body and the developing device. A toner container for replenishment, comprising an air bleeding member communicating with and.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a replenishment toner container having a container body filled with replenishment toner, a replenishment port formed in the container body, and an opening / closing member for closing and opening the replenishment port. In a replenishment toner container for supplying the toner in the container body to the developing device by connecting the replenishing port to the developing device, the replenishing port is opened when replenishing the toner from the replenishing port to the developing device. Then, the replenishment toner container is provided with an air vent member for communicating the vicinity of the bottom of the container body with the developing device.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the replenishing port is connected to the developing device and the toner in the container body is supplied to the developing device, the air vent member connects the vicinity of the bottom of the container body with the developing device. Therefore, as the toner in the container body is supplied to the developing device, the air in the developing device flows into the container body through the air vent member.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the replenishing port is connected to the developing device to supply the toner in the container body to the developing device, the air vent member opens the vicinity of the bottom of the container body and the developing device when the replenishing port is opened. Communicate. Therefore, as the toner in the container body is supplied to the developing device, the air in the developing device flows into the container body through the air vent member.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a replenishment toner container 50. In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a container body, and a narrowed portion 1a having a gradually decreasing diameter is formed on the container body 1, and a cylindrical portion 1b is formed continuously with the narrowed portion 1a. As shown in FIG. 4, a fan-shaped replenishment port 2 is formed at the tip of the cylindrical portion 1b. The spread angle of this fan-shaped refill port 2 is about 16
It is 0 °. A closing portion 40 is formed in a portion other than the refilling port 2 of the cylindrical portion 1b, and a hole 41 is formed in the closing portion 40. The diameter of the hole 41 is reduced from the middle and the first step portion 41a and the first step portion 41a are formed. A two-step portion 41b is formed. Container body 1
A guide recess 1d is formed on the bottom 1c of the.

Reference numeral 3 indicates an air pipe as an air vent member, and the air pipe 3 is slidably inserted into the hole 41. The rear end of the air tube 3 is fitted in the guide recess 1d. A head 3c is formed at the tip of the air tube 3, and a retaining portion 3d is formed in the middle. A coil spring 5 is fitted to the air tube 3, and the coil spring 5 is provided on the head 3 c and the second step 4 of the hole 41.
It is provided between 1b and. This coil spring 5
The tip end of the air tube 3 is projected from the hole 41 by the elastic force of.

A cap 4 as an opening / closing member is attached to the cylindrical portion 1b so as to be rotatable and not easily detached. The closure plate 4c of the cap 4 is formed with a semicircular notch 4a (spread angle 180 °). Further, a flange portion 4b is formed on the cap 4. After the toner is supplied to the container body 1, the notch portion 4a of the cap 4 corresponds to the closing portion 40 of the cylindrical portion 1b and the closing plate 4c opens the replenishing port 2 as shown in FIGS. It is attached to the cylindrical portion 1b so as to cover and to press the head portion 3c of the air tube 3.

Next, the operation of supplying the toner in the replenishing toner container 50 to the developing device will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the replenishment toner container 50 in which the replenishment port 2 is closed is shaken to stir the toner. Next, the tip of the cap 4 is inserted into the toner supply port 70 of the developing device, and the flange portion 4b is fixed to the holding part of the developing device (not shown). At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the notch 4 of the cap 4
Reference character a corresponds to the closing portion 40 of the cylindrical portion 1b, and the closing plate 4c covers the refilling port 2 and presses the head portion 3c of the air tube 3. In this state, the rear end of the air tube 3 is fitted in the guide recess 1d, and the air outlet 3a of the air tube 3 is closed. Therefore, the toner does not enter the air tube 3, and the air tube 3 is not clogged with the toner.

Then, the container body 1 is rotated counterclockwise. When the container body 1 is turned counterclockwise and the notch 4a of the cap 4 comes to the position corresponding to the air tube 3, the pressing of the closing plate 4c on the air tube 3 is released, and therefore, FIG. 2 and FIG. ,
As shown in FIG. 5 (b), the air tube 3 has a coil spring 5
It projects from the notch 4a by the elastic force of. In such a state, the rear end of the air tube 3 is disengaged from the guide recess 1d, and the outlet 3a is opened.

When the container body 1 is further rotated counterclockwise,
As shown in FIG. 5C, the cutout portion 4 a is in a state corresponding to the refill port 2. Since the replenishing port 2 is opened after the air tube 3 is opened in this manner, the toner is smoothly supplied into the developing device at the same time when the replenishing port 2 is opened. Therefore, the toner can be efficiently supplied to the developing device. In this state, the toner in the container body 1 flows into the developing device. As the toner flows into the developing device, the air in the developing device corresponding to the volume of the toner is sucked through the suction port 3b of the air tube 3 and blown out from the blowing port 3a.
Is discharged inside. Therefore, the toner can be smoothly replenished to the developing device.

Next, the filling device 6 for supplying the toner to the replenishment toner container 50 will be described. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 6 indicates a filling device, and the filling device 6 has a cylindrical shape having substantially the same diameter as the cap 4. A convex portion 6a having a shape and size that fits into the notch 4a of the cap 4 is formed on the tip surface of the filling device 6, and the convex portion 6a has substantially the same shape and size as the replenishing port 2 of the cylindrical portion 1b. Filling port 7 is formed.

The operation of supplying toner to the replenishment toner container 50 using the filling device 6 will be described. The convex portion 6a of the filling device 6 is fitted into the notch 4a of the cap 4. When the concave portion 6a is fitted into the notch 4a, the convex portion 6a becomes the head portion 3 of the air tube 3.
C is pressed and the filling port 7 is brought into a state corresponding to the refilling port 2. In this state, toner is supplied from the filling port 7 to the replenishing port 2. Since the convex portion 6a closes the air tube 3 in this manner, toner does not enter the air tube 3. Then, the filling device 6 is rotated and the cap 4 is rotated, and as shown in FIG.
The notch 4a of the cap 4 corresponds to the closing portion 40 of the cylindrical portion 1b, as shown in FIG.

7 and 8 show a replenishment toner container 60 according to the second embodiment. The toner container 60 has the same structure as the toner replenishing container 50 of the first embodiment except that the air tube 130 is fixed to the cylindrical portion 1b and the container main body 10 has no guide recess. Similar members are designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted.

The replenishing toner container 60 replenishes the developing device with toner in the same manner as the replenishing toner container 50 according to the first embodiment. However, the air tube 130 remains fixed, and the air outlet 3a is always open.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, a replenishment toner container having a smaller replenishment port than the size of the container is used, and the replenishment toner container refill port is closely attached to the supply port of the developing device. Even when the toner is supplied, the toner in the replenishment toner container can be smoothly supplied into the developing device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a replenishment toner container according to a first embodiment of the present invention before toner replenishment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the replenishment toner container according to the first embodiment of the present invention when toner is replenished.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the replenishment toner container according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the rotating operation of the cap of the refill toner container according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an operation of supplying toner to the replenishment toner container according to the first embodiment by a filling device.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a replenishment toner container according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a replenishment toner container according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Container Main Body 2 Replenishment Port 3 Air Tube 4 Cap 5 Coil Spring 50 Replenishment Toner Container 60 Replenishment Toner Container 130 Air Pipe

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A container body filled with replenishing toner,
A replenishment toner container having a replenishment port formed in the container body, wherein the replenishment port is connected to a developing device to supply the toner in the container body to the developing device. A replenishment toner container, comprising an air vent member for communicating the vicinity of the bottom of the container body with the developing device when replenishing the developing device with toner from the mouth. 2. A container body filled with replenishment toner,
A replenishment toner container having a replenishment port formed in the container body and an opening / closing member for closing and opening the replenishment port, wherein the replenishment port is connected to a developing device to develop the toner in the container body. In the replenishment toner container supplied to the container,
A toner container for replenishment, comprising an air bleeding member that communicates the vicinity of the bottom of the container body with the developing device when the replenishing port is opened when replenishing the developing device with toner from the replenishing port.